3 r's book reduction replacement refinement

The 3 rs stand for replacement, reduction and refinement. The three rs of animal testing refers to the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement, a set of guidelines on the more humane use of animals in testing and research. For each project it ensures, as far as is reasonably practicable, that no alternative to the use of animals is possible, that the number of animals used is minimised and that procedures, care routines and husbandry are refined to maximise welfare. In their book published in 1959, the principles of. Animal welfare and the potential for pain and distress to be experienced by animals used in science have concerned the general public and thoughtful researchers for a long time. Further reduction may come from reexamining the findings of studies already conducted e. Mar 24, 2017 this book was published in response to the growth in medical and veterinary research and the increase in animals being used. National centre for the replacement, refinement and reduction. Today throughout the world the principles of the 3rs are embedded in legislation which governs the use of animals in. For some biomedical research projects, animals may be replaced, either by methods that dont involve animals at all absolute replacement or by those that use only the cells or tissues of animals relative replacement. A search for alternatives to use of animals in research reduction, refinement, replacement is not the same as a search to show that the research is unique or not duplicative. The mimicky mouse training model was designed to aid in the practicing of skills required for humane and ethical handling and procedural compentencies, while following the 3 rs concept replacement reduction refinement. The 3 r principle was born out of the ethical concerns of two english biologists, william russel and rex burch.

In 1959, william russell and rex burch published a book entitled the principles of humane experimental technique where they presented the concept of 3rs replacement, reduction and refinement. The term the three rs in science refers to replacement, reduction, and refinement, a set of guiding principles for more humane animal research. Refinement means any decrease in the incidence or severity of inhumane procedures applied to those animals which still have to be used. Russell and birch wrote the book called the principles of humane experimental technique, which defined an approach to the use of animals in research that has become universally accepted.

Studying the effects in a complex organism makes the early selection of compounds much more reliable, lowering the overall number of mice or rats used in subsequent research phases replacement. Reduction means reduction in the numbers of animals used to obtain information of a given amount and precision. Laws that mandate replacement alternatives, reduction alternatives, and refinement alternatives the three rs in scientific research have been passed in the united. These principles encouraged researchers to reduce the. In their 1959 book, william russell and rex burch proposed a novel applied science, which aimed at ameliorating the treatment of research animals while improving the quality of scientific and medical research and testing. Replacement means the substitution for conscious living higher animals of insentient material. Refinement not only improves the life of every animal used in research, it also improves the quality of the science. In the original book, the 3rs were restricted, arbitrarily. The principles of replacement, reduction and refinement must be considered systematically at all times when animals are used for.

Jan lauwereyns this work challenges the current reliance on the three rs or replacement, reduction and refinement which direct most animal research in the behavioral sciences. There are many opportunities to benefit science and business through application of the 3 rs replacement, reduction, and refinement to nonhuman primate use in drug development and safety. The three r s seek to reduce, refine, and replace the use of animals in experiments. European union reference laboratory for alternatives to animal testing eurl ecvam fund for the replacement of animals in medical experiments frame organization in the uk promoting the three r s in research and testing. Rs field of reduction, refinement and replacement of animal use. The three rs seek to reduce, refine, and replace the use of animals in experiments. The use of animals for research purposes including drug testing and experiments has long been a controversial. The principles of the 3rs replacement, reduction and refinement were developed over 50 years ago as a framework for humane animal research.

Laws that mandate replacement alternatives, reduction alternatives, and refinement alternatives the three rs in scientific research have been passed in the united kingdom, germany, the netherlands, the united states, and the european union over the past decade. When russell and burch developed this concept, they prioritized the 3 rs in a hierarchy, with replacement as the ultimate goal. Refinement not only benefits animals, but can also improve the quality of research findings by reducing the. Jan 27, 2020 the book also established how harm to animals should be graded and gave examples of how the use of replacement, reduction, and refinement could minimize harm to animals. Replacement as one of the 3rs is defined as the substitution for conscious living higher animals of insentient material. European union reference laboratory for alternatives to animal testing eurl ecvam fund for the replacement of animals in medical experiments frame organization in the uk promoting the three rs in research and testing. All research using animals in the us, for example at universities and pharmaceutical companies, is regulated by the animal welfare act awa, which is administered by the animal and plant health inspection service aphis of the us department of agriculture. In 1959, william russell and rex burch introduced the concept of the 3 rs the replacement, reduction and refinement of animal usein an effort to advance animal welfare standards and reduce animal use in science. An extended modern version of the three rs consists of.

Rethinking the three rs in animal research replacement. We have now published a methods paper on how to isolate fungal strains from minimal invasive. Replacement as one of the 3r s is defined as the substitution for conscious living higher animals of insentient material. Russell and burch discussed the possibility of suffering with reference to sentience. The first step in conducting a search for alternatives, involves communication between the investigator and the information specialist. There are good ethical, scientific, legal and economic reasons for making sure that animals are looked after properly and used in minimum numbers. The principle of the 3rs was first mentioned by william russell and rex burch in 1959. Animals used for scientific purposes environment european. It is not always easy to develop an appropriate protocol for the 3rs and it takes time.

Reduction means reduction in the numbers of animals used to obtain information of a. Awic tips for searching for alternatives to animal research. As has been noted, the word alternatives is used to describe any change from present procedures that will result in the replacement of animals, a reduction in the numbers used or a refinement of techniques that may reduce or replace animals or reduce the pain, stress or distress of the animals. This work challenges the current reliance on the three rs or replacement, reduction and refinement which direct most animal research in the behavioral sciences. Animals are used in a variety of scientific disciplines. These include reduction, replacement, and refinement. Reduction refers to any strategy that will result in fewer animals being used to obtain sufficient data to answer the research question, or in maximizing the information obtained per animal and thus potentially limiting or avoiding the subsequent use of additional animals, without compromising animal welfare. The three rs as in the letter r are basic skills taught in schools. Replacement, reduction, and refinement, are important from a legal, ethical and scientific standpoint.

Refinement therefore is also likely to improve data quality and contribute to reduction. Scientist doing animal experiment in lab with rabbit. The principles of the 3rs, replacement, refinement and reduction, were originally developed by professor william russell and rex burch, and are now widely accepted internationally as criteria for humane animal use in research and testing. The three rs 3rs in relation to science are guiding principles for more ethical use of animals in testing. The principles of humane experimental technique was published in london in 1959, and the book defined animal testing alternatives as the three rs. However, directive 201063eu on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, for the first time in eu legislation spells out the principle of the three rs and makes it a firm legal requirement. Russell and burch showed that the use of humane methods was compatible with the objectives of research including the improvement of data from experiments.

The 3rs and animal wefare understanding animal research. Jan lauwereyns this work challenges the current reliance on the three r s or replacement, reduction and refinement which direct most animal research in the behavioral sciences. It was these concerns, together with increasing use of animals in fundamental and applied research that motivated w. We are quickly running out of space and now it is important to learn the three rs of the environment and put it into practice. This method makes it possible to evaluate compounds early in drug discovery in lowerorder animals, instead of rodents. The three r s have been accepted by researchers who use animals in experiments and by animal welfare advocates who argue in favor of regulating animal use rather than abolishing it. The royal veterinary college is committed to the principles of the 3rs of reduction, refinement and replacement. Refinement, reduction, and replacement springerlink. Advancing science without harming animals furs for us. The animal welfare approach, which focuses on regulating. The author argues that these principles that were developed in the 1950s to guide the use of animals in research studies are outdated.

An alternatives search must be performed for all protocols which have animals categorized as either usda d or e. The author argues that these principles that were developed in the 1950 s to guide the use of animals in research studies are outdated. The phrase the three rs may have originated in a speech made by sir william curtis in 1795. To quote these authors, replacement means the substitution for conscious living higher animals of insentient material. The immediacy of using the 3 rs was evident as students went through their decisionmaking process. Rethinking the three rs in animal research springerlink. Goldberg article reprinted from environmental health perspectives, august 1996, vol. In this book, the authors proposed three categories now commonly referred to as the 3 rs.

The phrase appeared in print as a spacefiller in the lady s magazine for 1818. Three rs and examples of reductions, refinements, and replace ments. They used the term replacement technique for any scientific method using nonsentient material to replace methods which use conscious living vertebrates. Replacement refers to the preferred use of nonanimal methods over animal methods whenever it is possible to achieve the same scientific aim. Awic tips for searching for alternatives to animal. This book was published in response to the growth in medical and veterinary research and the increase in animals being used.

Although replacement is the ultimate goal, as long as animals are used in research, refinement is the r with the greatest and widest potential impact. Three rs principle in animal experimentation greenfacts. In their book the principles of humane experimental technique, they classified humane techniques under the headings refinement, reduction, and replacement, commonly known now as the 3rs. This work challenges the current reliance on the three r s or replacement, reduction and refinement which direct most animal research in the behavioral sciences. Reducing the amount of waste you produce is the best way to help the environment. It is also not a search to show that the intended animal. The welfare of animals used in research is very important. This book challenges the current reliance on the three rs in animal research, or replacement, reduction, and refinement. In their book chapter 7 on refinement, russell and burch. Replacement alternatives refer to methods which avoid or replace the use of animals. In the book the principles of humane experimental technique, first published in 1959, russell and burch. Laws that mandate replacement alternatives, reduction alternatives, and refinement alternatives the three rs in scientific research. The authors proposed the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement most often referred to as the 3rs as the key strategies to provide a systematic framework to achieve the goal of humane experimental techniques. This is the three rs tenet replacement, reduction and refinement.

The three rs, a widely used abbreviation for the waste management hierarchy. There are a number of alternative methods that can be used to replace the use of live animals in either all or part of a project. A fundamental goal of the animal welfare act and the accompanying regulations is the minimization of animal. This nonsentient material included higher plants, microorganisms, and the more. The three rs, a widely used abbreviation for the basic elements of a primary school curriculum. The concept was developed by russell and burch in a 1959 book entitled principles of humane experimental technique. The uk national centre for the replacement, refinement and reduction in animals in research nc3rs. The three rs have been accepted by researchers who use animals in experiments and by animal welfare advocates who argue in favor of regulating animal use rather than abolishing it. The three rs stand for replacement, reduction and refinement. Reduction means reduction in the numbers of animals used to obtain information of a given amount or precision. In the book the principles of humane experimental technique, first published in 1959, russell and burch proposed the concept of the three rs.

Burch and elaborated in the book the principles of humane. In the original book, the 3rs were restricted, arbitrarily, to vertebrates. The failure of the three rs and the future of animal experimentation darian m ibrahimt the debate in animal ethics is defined by those who advocate the regulation of animal use and those who advocate its abolition. Unit 3 the 3 rs the 3 rs in 1959 drs russell and birch. The 3 rs represent reduction in the number of animals used, refinement of techniques and procedures that reduce pain and distress, and replacement of animal with nonanimal techniques. They established the 3 rs which refer to the reduction, refinement and replacement of animals ferdowsian et al. Wms russell 19252006 and rl burch 19261996 originated the concepts of replacement, reduction, and refinement, which they published in their 1959 book, the principles of humane experimental technique. The replacement, refinement and reduction 3rs in research using animals background. The term the three rs in science refers to replacement, reduction, and refinement, a set of guiding. The concept was developed by russell and burch in a 1959 book entitled principles of humane experimental technique link is external. The three rs principle was launched in the early 1960s by two english biologists, russel and burch in their book the principle of humane experimental technique. In their book the principles of humane experimental technique, they classified humane techniques under the headings refinement, reduction, and replacement, commonly known now as the 3rs mb research laboratories prides itself on pursuing in vitro and alternative toxicological methods. A fundamental goal of the animal welfare act and the accompanying regulations is the minimization of animal pain and distress via the. In canada, continuing improvements to the welfare of animals used in science have occurred over the past few decades partly because of the explicit adoption of a set of principles to guide the ethical evaluation of animal use.